ANVIL: Live at Crocks/Friday June 7th-2019

Anvilrolled into this “Sleepy Northern Town” Friday night ‘Pounding the Pavement‘ the three amigos in Anvil are calling it playing there own brand of Metal by there rules.

42 years and running for Anvil, which is quite spectacular when you really put your mind to it. So I can respect that. Doing what you wanna do, let no one telling you what to do.

So when local promoter guru Frank Loffredoannounced a few months back that Anvil was headed back to the Tbay I was intrigued as the last time I saw these guys when they were big news with the Story of Anvil documentary winning awards and such.

So with pal Dean in tow, we went to see 42 years of Metal. Hell, even local Anvil Historian Tony Gallo was present. Tony has been running an online Anvil website since 1995! That is impressive.

To be quite honest here I never have bought all the Anvil releases throughout the years. I had, of course, growing up in the early 80’s Hard n Heavy/Metal on Metal/Forged in Fire/Backwaxed.

So when Lips/Robb Reiner/Chris Roberstontook to the stage with Lips being off the stage walking around the floor as the band launched into the classic March of the Crabs from 1982’s traditional Metal on Metal release with that roaring into another Metal on Metal track 666were off and running.

Then the show grounded to a halt as Lips made some comments towards the sound guy which I thought was uncalled for. From my vantage point, the sound was excellent. It was freaking loud as Reiner’s drums were loud but clear.

The show ramped back up with another oldie Ohh Baby, and once again the show grounded to a halt with Lips still going at it with the soundman. I don’t even want to write what he directed towards the soundman. It’s brutal and a total lack of professionalism on Lip’s part.

I get it these guys are tweaked differently but man when you’re 63 years old up on stage calling out a guy for trying to do his job is kind of lame. No one likes to be called out and theres a better way to handle things.

(for the record I don’t know the soundman and my old ears at the age of 51 it sounded fine)

For myself, some momentum was lost as I was wondering what else was going to set Lips off. But they played on. I will give Lips credit for as he told a great story about Lemmy and was in joking mood at times, but in front of a crowd of fewer than 150 people, I think you need to chillax a bit.

I dug some of that old school Metal of theres like WingedAssassin/Free as the WInd /Mothra(with the dildo making an appearance), and I will add that Robb Reiner at his age on the drums is phenomenal on the kit.

Reiner is worth the dough alone! I mean here it is about 1am early Saturday morning and he’s smacking the crap outta the skins during what must have been a five-minute solo. Wicked and brilliant!

To how the show began with Lips on the floor at Crocks, it ended the same way with Lips out on the floor with a bunch of fans surrounding him as they finished with the classic anthem Metal onMetal!

This show was Loud folks, and I think they should next time call there tour The Story of Advil.

Special mention has to been given to local band Page 38who played some original material(I believe) as well as some covers that being Sweets Set Me Free and a wicked cover of The Hellion/ElectricEye by Judas Priest! Full props to the Young Gun on guitar who nailed that Glenn Tiptonsolo. Full props fella! The drummer was a show amongst himself. A good lead singer as well. Decent act worth checking out.

17 thoughts on “ANVIL: Live at Crocks/Friday June 7th-2019”

I am totally shocked about the Lips Service (see what I did there?)
I met him a few times and he seemed like a cool dude.
I have seen the other side of things a bunch though.
Sound guys that talk behind the bands back, make excuses, blame everyone else, act like dicks etc.
I’ve seen good bands get shocked, have ongoing sound issues, feedback, etc..and sound guys that do nothing to fix it. You have one job bud.
Maybe the sound guy was an a hole in sound check. Who knows?
Maybe Lips is getting crusty?
Maybe the bar stiffed him in pay. No free drinks etc. Who knows?
Shame that this has to bring down a good show though.

I have seen Anvil a bunch and you always know what to expect, especially great drumming.

I can tell you Frank has been in this game for over 30 years promoting bands through this city and I can vouch for him so it’s not that angle.
I been to a ton of shows in this town for years and I never have seen that kind of as u call it Lip Service haha.
Reiner as I mentioned, is the deal money well spent on watching him drum!

Great write-up Deke! Sounds like an…interesting night to say the least. I know a sound guy and he is very professional and works with bands where they have equal respect for each other and he never gets complaints from the band and only compliments for the sound. I guess they all can’t be as great as him. Now, he is my brother-in-law, so I am a little biased.

Man, I hate seeing bands being dicks towards the sound guys. Even if the sound on stage ain’t excellent, the sound guy is likely doing the best he can.

But hey, I’ve have experienced sound guys being dicks during soundcheck, so maybe they were paying him back for some uncool shenanigans earlier… still, they need to try avoid that kinda stuff spilling over.

No J, I spoke to a few people and it wasn’t that issue of anyone outside the band being a dick.
Even so after 42 years, you have to get past that point. It’s not arena shows were talking about. I will add again that the sound I heard was fine as these guys were loud so the fella behind the board to my ears was doing fine!